Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for their presentations. I apologise as I was slightly delayed owing to having to attend another meeting, but I have read the opening statement and looked through the report.

My colleagues have asked a number of questions. I do not propose to go back over them, but I wish to make some observations. I fully understand the problems in grappling with the recommendations made in respect of local authorities and considering how we can expedite the delivery of housing. I represent the constituency of Dublin Fingal which has a sizeable Traveller population. There is a real issue in providing Traveller accommodation.

We have been better than many other local authorities. I know the drawdown might not show that.

I am very interested in the Part 8 process that Deputy Carey asked about. Do the witnesses have recent data on how many times members of local authorities have voted against a Part 8 process for delivery of Traveller accommodation? In all my time as a public representative, since 2004 - I was only three short years on the council, but I keep a close eye on it - I have not been aware of any in Fingal. I am aware of one injunction that was taken very recently and the court ruled for that. I do not think that is the issue. Removing those powers – I know it is only a temporary recommendation – may have the unintended consequence of making the situation worse. I believe local authorities need to remove the veil of secrecy around delivery of purpose-built Traveller accommodation. The majority of Travellers who I interact with on housing issues want Traveller-specific accommodation. The veil of secrecy covers purchase of land such that things are found out only after the event. Particularly with the rural nature of some of the land purchases, more work can be done with communities. For example, there is a very good Traveller accommodation scheme close to where I live and as part of that scheme the local authority brought the main sewer up the lane to deliver 15 purpose-built homes for Travellers, which is great, but it did not allow any of the local residents connect to the mains. There are simple things like that, not bringing it further down the road, that are a question of consultation. The executives and planners at local authority level need to carry the can for much of that. It tends to be that when people find out that the land has been purchased, as in the recent case where the injunction was successful in the High Court, they do so only through the media. Local authorities should treat citizens as adults.

There is a serious housing issue for the whole community and it is quite acute in the Traveller community. Most people who I deal with want good sustainable, quality accommodation for all their citizens, including the Traveller community. That is something that one of the witnesses might elaborate on, purpose-built Traveller accommodation versus integrated accommodation in existing settled communities. What does their research show about what the community asks for? I have received many complaints recently of certain members of the Travelling community who have been housed through approved housing bodies in existing estates where they never wanted to be and they cannot settle. They let that be known at the time and the answer is take it or leave it. It is that or nothing. That poses problems then within the estate. The Part 8 process would be of interest to me. I do not know of any in my area that have been refused in 15 or 16 years. I could be wrong, I stand to be corrected. The development plan and local area plans are where to deliver and be very specific about it and identify it. The only development plan I was involved in was the 2005-2011 one. At the time very specific objectives for Traveller accommodation were delineated and noted on the maps in Fingal. It was very clear to people. Then we move through the Part 8 process, and try to deal with issues, some of which might be infrastructural, to try to have a planning gain as well for everyone in the area.

I thank the witnesses for their work. This is a nettle that needs to be grasped. Most of us are in agreement. We are all committed to providing good, sustainable, permanent accommodation, and good homes for the Travelling community. We want that.